To Fulfill A Promise
by Tanokai
Summary: The cop's sword had been stabbed right through her chest. She only had a few seconds left of life...'I hope you find peace in death, my sister' One Shot R&R please


**To Fulfill a Promise**

**By: Tanokai**

A/N: I wish to thank WhiteRabbit5 for their review. It really helped me to shape this fan fiction into a much better one then it started. Thank you! I do apologize for he spelling errors that remain. I didn't have time to change them.

Also I just thought I would give you all a key before you read, so you weren't confused.

Alright.

**The things in bold are thoughts.**

_Italicized words are flashbacks_

And the rest is the story. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading! R&R please!

"Then, I have no choice but to kill you," he stated as he moved into his fighting position. His amber eyes were narrow as always, but hints of anger shown brightly in them now. His feet were about a meter or so apart, his left behind his right. His body faced the setting sun so that his right side faced his opponent. He had his knees slightly bent so he could execute the attack correctly. He held the hilt of his katana in his left hand. His right arm was straight, and his forefinger lightly touching the blade while his thumb was on one side and the rest of his finger on the other side.

He kicked off from the ground launching toward her ready to thrust the blade of his sword through her chest. She bent her knees and kicked off the ground to the side when he was to close to change the direction of his attack, barely avoiding the blade.

"I have done nothing wrong, but if you insist, then go ahead and try. I warn you though. I know all of your attacks," stated the lady. She was a bit taller than him, but not by much. She had black hair tied back in a high ponytail, and her eyes were a bright amber.

He said nothing as he turned trying the attack again, hoping that he would catch her off guard, but it didn't. She dodged once again, avoiding it by less of a margin this time. The sleeve of her right arm tearing by the blade, a light line of blood forming from the fresh wound.

"And even better..." she moved quickly into an identical stance as his after she had drawn her blade with her left hand. With her right arm in plane sight now, and with it not only was the fresh wound visible but the scar that ran down from her elbow to her wrist was too. The cops' eyes widened. She kicked off the ground and thrust her blade into his left shoulder. The cop broke from his trance too late and made a move to dodge, but the blade connected. "...I can do them too, Saitou."

**I wielded my first sword when I was only five. I didn't try and hide it, and it didn't take long for my family to find out, since they were right there when I did it. Before that day was over I was disowned from my family, forced to leave Kyoto for a extended time, and never allowed to go by my former name again, unless, by some miracle, my family accepted me as one of them again. A few months after that I was allowed to return, but I had already been hiding about forests and sneaking in so it didn't change much for me. Most of the times when I snuck in it was too watch my brother train with his master so that he could learn his sword technique. I had learned them, though I had not nearly mastered them as he.**

_"The pot's not placed right in the fire. It'll never cook correctly that way," a lady stated as she walked toward the fire and the tall, obviously strong potter who sat near it. The man had green/black hair and wore a white, red trimmed, mantle. The lady was tall as well and had black hair and amber eyes. She wore a black trench coat a white symbol on her back. The symbol was "aku" or "evil". Her long black hair, though tied up in a high ponytail, fell along her back to about her waist. She walked to the fire and adjusted the pot. "There. Now it should cook evenly." _

_The lady turned to face the man. She smiled and stated, "It has been a while, Hiko-sama."_

_"Fifteen years to be exact Kai," he replied in his normally calm voice. "Why are you here."_

_"Hm? Is there something wrong with wanting to visit you?"_

_"After fifteen years of being presumed dead, yes."_

_"Presumed dead, eh? I guess I can't blame you for thinking that."_

_"So, why are you here?"_

_"Well, Hiko-sama," pause," I've got a wolf who wants me dead. I thought, since I don't want to kill him, his would be a great place to stay for a while."_

_"That's a nice story, and it may have worked fifteen years ago, but how about the truth, Kai?"_

_She said nothing at first, what was the point? After a moment of silence she stated, "That is the truth."_

_He didn't seem to believe her but didn't press the issue._

_"Well, you know what I except form you when you're here."_

_"Of course. I wouldn't dare forget what an arrogant genius, such as yourself, excepts of me."_

_"Hey!" his right eyebrow twitched a little._

_She simply smiled brightly. "So, am I to except some good sparring matches while I'm here?"_

_"Only if you wish to taste the ground."_

_"If you say so. Oh, and I believe your pot is done." She then turned and stared walking off. "After I get some water from the river I'll meet you at the cliff."_

_"Let's hope you've improved a bit, Kai."_

_"Let's hope that your arrogant self hasn't gotten rusty."_

_"Your pushing it," he stated as he drew his sword and held the hilt with both hands slightly diagonal._

_"I am? Well, I'm just trying to say not to take me lightly oh arrogant one" Then, with only a very slight warning of a quick sharp breath, she dashed at him with great speed she acquired from the constant running she endured in escapes from those who didn't like the fact that she, a woman, carried a sword as she did._

_That intake of breath was the biggest thing that saved Hiko from the slash of her sword, though there were many other things._

_Her speed was great, but her reaction time was slow and she misread his attack. The blade of his sword connected fully with her left side, the one part of her body she had been so worried about protecting. The sped she used for her attack carried her a few more steps before she stumbled foreword. She caught herself and turned to face her opponent, ready to continue. Her breathing was ragged, but her eyes were firm and narrow, just like her grip upon her sword._

_He stared at her a moment before he sheathed his weapon. "I think that's enough for now."_

_She nodded as she sheathed her sword. She began walking toward Hiko, since that was the way to the hut._

_She stopped as he asked, "Are you alright? You seem a bit pale."_

_She nodded again. "I'm fine."_

_As she began to walk again she stumbled and fell foreword slipping out of consciousness._

_Hiko caught her and looked down at her pale and weak form. He looked at his right arm and saw that he was covered in Kai's blood. He hadn't hit her that hard, he was sure of it. He knelt so that he could rest her upper back upon his knee. He then used his bloodied hand to move her clothing from her side/midsection. Now he understood. He didn't create the cut's he just reopened an existing one._

**Then the revolution began. I didn't fight for either side. I just repaid favors. One time I had been gravely injured and a man named Sejiro Hiko took me to his hut and helped bandage my wounds. Since there was no doctor who would help a woman such as I, who had taken up the sword, I was, indeed, in his debt. To repay him I often watched over his student and successor, making sure that he was not killed during the revolution.**

_"How do I get myself into these situations!" Kai yelled as she ran down the streets of Kyoto, trying her best to keep from the cops. She had forgotten about not being aloud to carry swords without permission, so she forgot to hide hers. She saw a familiar form up ahead turn down an alley, so she fallowed. The man who had gone down the alley had obviously known she was running and why, so once the cops were nearing the corner he walked out and "accidentally" ran into them._

_"Sorry, man. We were fallowing a lady with a sword tucked in her belt. I think we may have lost her. have you seen her?" Asked one of the cops._

_"Yes, I have. She headed that way, I believe," stated the cold voice as he pointed down the street in the exact opposite direction the lady had gone._

_"Thank you, sir." The cops them began to run in that direction._

_After a moment the man turned and went back down the alley._

_"Thank you, Aoshi-sama," the lady stated as she leaned against a wall clutching her left side._

_"Are you injured, Azame?"_

_"No. I'm fine."_

_"What a foolish attempt to a lie that was," he stated as he began walking down the alley, "Come. when we get to the Aowia I want you to have Misao look at whatever wound it is you have."_

_"You don't leave much room for arguments do you?"_

_"Have I ever?"_

_"Good point."_

**The Oniwabaan often helped me locate the Shinsengumi. To repay them I would help gather information, look after them, and inform them of possible threats. Within the Oniwabaan I met a quiet, interesting man named Aoshi. Aoshi, though he appeared cold, was quite kind, at least to me and his fellow comrades.**

_They had been traveling from dawn to dusk for the past few days on their way to Kyoto. Sometimes they would travel a little longer so that they could sleep at some town. So, when Azame didn't stop when the sun had set Sano didn't think much of it. As they walked they were both lost within their own thoughts and were merely walking because of Azame's habit of walking these trails often. Sano stopped and awoke from his thoughts at the nearly silent sound of the scraping of steel. Blinking Sano glanced around wondering why Azame took out her katana._

_"What is it?" h e asked in a quiet voice._

_"He's here." she stated licking her lips._

_"Who?"_

_"The Battousai." she dashed off._

_Sano fallowed at about three-fourths her speed. He could see her just ahead of him. As he neared her he noticed how pale she now appeared._

_"Azame, what's wrong?"_

_"Someone is fallowing us."_

_"why did you say it was Kenshin?_

_"I just happen to be thinking of a fight of ours when I noticed whoever it was that fallowed us."_

_She walked about the clearing and her eyes widened as she ran at her top speed toward Sano. She had made it just in time to receive a sword slash across her back. It started at her right shoulder and ended at her left hip. The force of the attack caused her to fall into Sano, but she quickly supported her own weight and turned with her katana drawn in her left hand. Sano should see the blood that came from her wound and was spilling over the back of her cloak, over the symbol "aku". Before he could do anything to help her, she ran at top speed toward her attacker. it didn't take long to kill him, but it was to much strain for her new and old wounds. She fell foreword slipping away from consciousness. As Sano neared her he noticed that her blood had strangely formed around the symbol on her back, outlining it._

**I also had the pleasure of meeting the Sekihoutai. I was engaged in battle with one, maybe two, dozen men. Sozo and the other Sekihoutai members helped me fight them off. since I was weak from some old wounds, I appreciated the help. I then traveled with them for a while. The young captain asked if I could keep an eye on the two young boys should anything happen.**

**So, when I heard gunshots one night I hurried and made it in time to see little Sanosuke fall off the cliff. I ran with speed I never had before and managed to catch Sano and shield his body from the most part of the sting from hitting the water after falling that far. An injury I received to my right leg from this kept me from ever running so fast again. I quickly swam to the surface and dragged the scared child to the shore before crawling out myself. The air was cold, and the stench of death reached my nose.**

**I then stood and began heading toward a nearby town I knew of. I knew it was to late for the rest of the Sekihoutai. When I reached the town I turned Sano's care over to an old friend of mine named Hiroshi. I believe it was Hiroshi who had thought him to wield the zanbatou.**

**After a short rest I headed back to where the Sekihoutai had fallen and dug them all graves.**

The cop grunted in pain as Azame slid the blade from his new wound. "Not bad," he stated. It was now his turn to hit as he completely shocked her by doing Gatotsu Zero Style right then.

Her eyes widened as she fell back and dropped her katana. It all seemed to happen in slow-motion.

**I've shown my loyalty to him many times before. The scar upon my right hand is proof of that. When an enemy of his attempted to kill him I shoved him to the side. I nearly escaped the attack myself, but the man's sword cut right into my arm. It started at my elbow and ended at my wrist. Is my love not clear? Or doesn't he truly hate me?**

She hit the ground, her body throbbing with pain of old and new wounds. the cop stood before her his sword in hand.

"Why has it come to this?" She asked, her breath coming quick.

"Do you not remember Aku. Soku. Zan?"

"What? I don't understand."

"Exactly."

**He was right. In the name of revenge I had killed many innocent men, and lost sight of that truth. Whether or not he ever liked me, I don't know, but he's always respected me, just like the Battousai. Ho did I lose sight of Aku. Soku. Zan. though? Perhaps all I had wanted was to face an opponent who would kill me, someone who could end my suffering. I could not have the one thing I wished for, so I sought out death. I could not be accepted by my parents and brother, so I sought death. I killed hundreds just for my selfish desire. Now, I'm going to die at the hands of...**

The lady gasped in pain and moved her head back. The cop's sword had been stabbed right through her chest. She only had a few seconds left of life and she could feel as they passed. Darkness began to spread through her vision just as fast as a cold chill ran through her veins.

"I hope you find peace in death, my sister."

She stared up at him. For a few seconds they were able to look at each other one final time, as brother and sister. Tears filled her eyes as her vision became completely black. It was not tears of pain or sadness that flooded from her eyes in her last moments. It was tears of happiness.

**...my brother.**

**So, he cared after all. That is the reason he decided to kill me. I always found it strange how love and death went hand-in-hand, and I always believed it to be false. Now I understand. My brother killed me because he loved me. I only wish that I could say goodbye to everyone and...**


End file.
